Combined can puncturing and pouring pitcher



Dec. 13, 1955 c. R. PERRY COMBINED CAN PUNCTURING AND POURING FITCHER Filed March 19, 1951 w mmxwxw INVENTOR CLARENCE R. PERRY 25:4 ATTORNEY United States Patent COMBINED CAN PUNCTURING AND POURING PITCHER Clarence Richard Perry, Miami, Fla. Application March 19, 1951, Serial No. 216,331 2 Claims. (Cl. ZZZ-83.5)

This invention relates to a plastic pitcher for dispensing canned liquids.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic pitcher formed of separable parts, one of which is adapted to receive and support a can containing liquids,

'such as condensed milk, and the other part adapted to fit the one part and having puncturing elements thereon, for puncturing the can, said puncturing elements being of tubular formation and communicating with passages in the other part through which the liquid of the can can be dispensed and through which air can be delivered to the top of the punctured can.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in a' pitcher for receiving cans of liquids puncturing tubes and passages in one of the parts and a valve gate operable in the passages to prevent the flow of the liquid until the pitcher has been properly positioned, and when the pitcher is not in use, to prevent the inward flow of air to the can and its contents, and wherein the gate valve is operable from the handle portion by the thumb of the hand that grips the pitcher handle.

it is another object of the present invention to provide in a pitcher for dispensing the contents of can an adaptor which can be fitted into the bottom part so that a smaller size can of less height and diameter will be held firm and rigidly within the pitch part to render the pitcher suitable for a smaller sized can.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pitcher for dispensing canned liquids, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, easy to operate and to puncture the cans disposed therein, compact, of pleasing appearance, and eflicient in operation.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the pitcher, constructed to one form of the invention with portions broken away to show the interior construction of the pitcher parts.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the pitcher constructed according to another form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the pitcher shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view as viewed on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and with a portion broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an adapter which can be used with either of the forms of the invention to permit the use of a smaller size can within the pitcher.

Referring now particularly to the figures, 10 and 11, Fig. 1, respectively represent lower and upper parts which are adapted to tightly fit one another. The lower part 10 has a bottom 12 and an upwardly extending supporting spring 13 for receiving the bottom of the can and for urg- 2,726,789 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 ing the same upwardly against the interior of the upper part 11. The lower part 10 is recessed on its inner side as indicated at 14 to receive a depending annular portion 15 of the upper part 11. Ball detents 16 are provided in the annular portion 15 in circumferentially spaced locations therearound and adapted to engage with slight depressions in the vertical face of the recess 14 of the part 10 to hold the upper part 11 against vertical displacement from the lower part 10.

Fixed within the upper part 11 is a plate 17 having a depending puncturing element 18. This plate is secured to the part 11 by a rivet pin 19. The puncturing element 18 will enter the top of a can which is disposed within the parts and upon pressure being brought upon the upper part to assemble the parts together and this can will be held in its elevated position by the spring support 13. A tube 21 communicates with the puncturing element 18 so that the liquid is received therefrom and can be poured from the pitcher, upon the pitcher being tilted to turn downwardly its spout 22 through which the tube 21 passes. A handle 23 is rigidly secured to the upper part and depends downwardly over the side of the lower part 10.

Referring now particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2 to 6, 25 represents a bottom part and 26 represents a top part assembly. The bottom part 25 has an upwardly extending central portion 27 for supporting an inverted conical spring 28 on which a can 29 is supported and by which it is pressed upwardly against the upper part assembly 26.

At the front of the part 25 is an enlargement 31 having a vertically extending slot 32 for receiving a hinge portion 33 of the upper part assembly 26. A hinge pin 34 extends through the enlargement and the hinge portion 33 to pivotly connect the lower and upper parts together, whereby the upper part can be elevated to the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 5 to permit the insertion of the can 29 into the bottom part 25.

The upper part assembly 26 includes inner and outer members 26 and 26" which are fixed to one another upon being assembled preferably by cement. The hinge portion 33 is a part of the member 26. The inner member 26 has fixed thereto depending puncturing elements 36 and 37 adapted to enter the top of the can 29 upon the upper assembly 26 being hinged downwardly to the position as shown in Fig. 5. These puncturing elements 36 and 37 are aligned respectively with passages 38 and 39 of the upper member 26".

The top of the inner member 26 is recessed to receive and retain the valve gate 41 and is slidable longitudinally therethrough. This valve gate member has holes 42 and 43 adapted to be respectively aligned with the puncturing tubes 36 and 37 upon the valve gate being pressed inwardly against action of return spring 44. The upper member 26" is recessed on its under face to cooperate with the recess on the upper face of the inner member 26 to provide the space for the slide valve gate 41 and the return spring 44.

The inner member 26' has a depending handle portion 45, having double detents 46 and 47 in its lower end and forced outwardly by a spring 48, Fig. 6. The bottom of the lower part 25 is recessed as indicated at 49 to receive the lower end of the handle portion 45, and besides the recess 49 are recesses to receive the detents 46 and 47 to hold the handle and the upper part assembly down upon the lower part 25. A button portion 51 extends outwardly over the handle 45 and is easily accessible to a thumb while the handle portion 45 is grasped by the hand to effect a tilting of the pitcher and the pouring of the contents of the can 29.

In Fig. 7, there is shown an adapter 52 which can be fitted into the bottom part of either of the forms of the invention and which has a raised crescent shaped extension 53 and a top surface 54 against which the smaller sized can is rested. The top supporting surface 54 is open at one side so as to allow the can to be positioned close to the puncturing element at the front of the pitcher and the extension 53 will support the can against displacement. The adapter is hollow throughout portions of its body to lighten its weight. When the adapter is used, the spring supports in the bottoms of the pitchers either can be removed or the adapter may rest upon the spring supports so that the spring supporting action is given to the smaller sized can-as well as to the large size can which is supported directly upon the spring supports.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a pitcher adapted to receive cans containing liquids and to automatically puncture the same as a top part is brought downwardly over the bottom part so that the puncturing elements are forced into the top of the can.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be Within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pitcher used for dispensing canned liquids comprising a bottom part having a cylindrical chamber for receiving a can therein, a top cover member hingedly connected adjacent the top and front of the bottom part and said top cover member having a valve receiving channel and a depending handle, said handle extending rearwardly and having a lower end adjacent the lower portion of the bottom part, spring securing means for releasably retaining the lower end of the handle to the bottom part, said top part being adapted to be pivoted about the hinge connection upon vertical movement of the handle to permit insertion of a can into the bottom part, hollow tubular puncturing elements fixed in and spaced transversely across the top part and projecting downwardly, one of said elements being positioned adjacent the front of said top part, passageways in the top part communicating with the hollow tubular puncturing elements whereby a liquid may be dispensed through one of the puncturing elements adjacent the front of the top part from the can and air may enter the can from another passageway and puncturing element, a horizontal reciprocable slide valve in the top part comprising a unitary fiat elongated strip having apertures spaced to be slidably aligned with said top part passages and the hollow puncturing elements within the valve receiving channel, a valve actuating plunger connected to one end of the slide valve and projecting rearwardly through the handle part and being accessible to the thumb of the hand while gripping said handle, and a spring recessed in the front of the top member forward of the slide valve to normally urge the fiat strip rearwardly to displace the apertures from the openings in said puncturing elements and passageways.

2. A pitcher used for dispensing canned liquids as defined in claim 1 and a cylindrical adapter having a diameter substantially the same as said cylindrical chamber and insertable therein for accommodating a can size having a diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical can receiving chamber, said adapter having a crescent-like segmental flange on the top surface of the adapter forming an eccentrio circular portion for urging a can against the front of said pitcher whereby upon depressing said handle into operative position, the puncturing elements penetrate the top of the small can in the elevated position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

